Frozen dead body of climber on Mount Everest

MOUNT EVEREST, NEPAL Every year, dozens of climbers’ bodies remain scattered across the slopes of Mount Everest – the world’s highest and most unforgiving mountain. The extreme conditions – freezing temperatures, powerful winds, and a lack of oxygen – often make it impossible to recover the dead, leaving them where they fell, sometimes for decades. Some have become grim landmarks, like the well-known “Green Boots,” lying near the so-called Death Zone at about 28,000 feet (8,500 meters). It’s estimated that more than 200 bodies still rest on Everest, and despite modern gear and experience, any recovery mission remains dangerously risky and extremely costly.